GKAMINE.-K. 



995 



considered as species, but now generally admitted to be mere varieties, 

 are the following : — 



a. Spiked meadow F. (F. lollacea, Eng. Bot. t. 1821). Spikelets 

 almost sessile, in a simple spike. Grows with the common form, al- 

 ways passing gradually into it. 



b. Common meadow F. (F. pratensis, Eng. Bot. t. 1592). Panicle 

 slightly branched but close. In meadows and pastures. 



c. Tall meadow F. (F. elatior, Eng. Bot. t. 1593, F. arundinacea, 

 Bab. Man.). A taller, often reed-like plant, with broader leaves, the 

 panicle more branched and spreading. On banks of rivers, and in wet 

 places, especially near the sea. 



3. Heed Fescue. Festuca sylvatica, Vill. (Fig. 1209.) 

 (F. calamaria, Eng. Bot. t. 1005, and F. decidua, t. 2266.) 



A tall, reed-like perennial, with rather 

 broad, flat leaves, and a rather compact 

 panicle, 4 to 6 inches long. Spikelets 

 numerous, smaller even than in the 

 sheep's F., seldom containing more than 

 4 or 5 flowers. Outer glumes much 

 narrower than in the two preceding 

 species, and often almost subulate. 

 Flowering glumes about 2 lines long, 

 tapering into a fine point, but not dis- 

 tinctly awned. 



In mountain woods, in central Europe, 

 from central France and northern Italy 

 to southern Scandinavia, and eastward 

 to the Bussian frontier. In Britain, 

 thinly scattered over a large area, both 

 in Great Britain and Ireland, more pre- 

 valent in northern than in southern Eng- 

 land, but unknown in the north of Scot- 

 land. Fl. summer. Fig. 1209. 



4. Rat's-tail Fescue. Festuca Myurus, Linn. (Fig. 1210.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 1412 and F. bromoides, t. 1411. F. sciuroides, Bab. Man.) 



A tufted annual, usually about a foot high. Leaves narrow and con- 

 volute as in the sheep's F. Panicle slender and one-sided, 2 to 6 inches 

 long, contracted, sometimes spike-like or even reduced to a simple 

 spike ; the branches always short and erect. Spikelets of the size of 

 those of the sheep s F., but the glumes narrower, the outer ones very 



